Michigan games targeted older population

Senior citizens in western Michigan were given the opportunity this weekend to prove that, despite the fact they may be getting older, they can still compete at a high level. According to the Grand Haven Tribune, more than 130 people participated in the second annual North Ottawa County Council on Aging Games, which concluded on Sunday.

The news provider reports that the games featured a number of different athletic events, including basketball, cycling and track and field.

The event is especially appealing to residents like 72-year-old Jimmy O'Hearn, who works out six days a week to maintain an active lifestyle and wants to encourage other people his age to do the same.

"I hope that it gives them a ray of hope to get out and do something, rather than sitting on the couch with the remote," O'Hearn told the news source.

The National Institute on Aging reports that exercise for senior citizens offers a variety of benefits. Experts say that exercising as little as two to three times a week can result in lowering stress and improving mood, along with lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.